


I'll Fall In Love With You

by coupe_de_foudre



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Android Gavin Reed, Fluff, Gavin Reed Needs a Hug, Light Angst, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Pre-Relationship, Protective Upgraded Connor | RK900, Soft Gavin Reed, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Has a Different Name, i don't really know what else to tag this with, no beta we die like men, reverse au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-26
Updated: 2019-02-26
Packaged: 2019-11-06 02:03:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17930702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coupe_de_foudre/pseuds/coupe_de_foudre
Summary: “What the fuck are you doing?”Gavin's green eyes glared up at him through unnecessarily long eyelashes. “The fuck does it look like I'm doing, meat-bag?”





	I'll Fall In Love With You

**Author's Note:**

> This wonderful prompt was suggested by [slaughter-with-laughter](https://slaughter-with-laughter.tumblr.com/). Thank you so much for it, I loved it!! I hope you like this!
> 
> Title from Cry Baby by The Neighbourhood.
> 
> Happy reading, snowflakes <3

After a seemingly endless, gruelling shift, all Nines wanted to do was go home. Maybe treat himself to a microwave meal and some shitty evening TV. What he didn't want to do was track down his partner – the brash, stubborn android known as GV900 (or Gavin, to those lucky few that the android deemed worthy enough). The idiot had apparently forgotten to sign his name on a pile of reports due in tomorrow morning and, according to Fowler, it was Nines’ responsibility. No amount of cursing or grumbling managed to change that.

“Stupid fucking android ruining my fucking night. As if I don't have to deal with enough just by working with him and his awful jokes and shitty face and- and- _fuck_!” Nines kicked a pebble into a nearby wall, shoe scuffing the gravel. He grimaced at the dusty grey mark left on his shoe, cursing again under his breath.

Ever since that night on top of Stratford Tower, Nines hadn't been able to focus properly. Well, he could, but his mind was constantly replaying the absolute fear-stricken expression on Gavin's face and the broken static of his voice when he'd tried to pretend that he was okay. Nines wasn't blind; he knew the case had shook the android detective.

And now all Nines could think about was how _human_ Gavin had seemed. As well as how much he'd wanted to kiss-

No.

_No._

He refused to let himself play that scenario out again. It never ended well.

“Shit!” a cry, oddly familiar, echoed out from an adjoined alleyway. Nines frowned, stepping closer and peeking round the corner to find a lean figure crouched in the shadows, hand outstretched to...nothing? Wait, no. There was a pair of bright green eyes.

In fact, the more Nines’ eyes adjusted to the dim light, the more pairs of glowing orbs he noticed.

“You sneaky bastard.” the voice said again, figure swivelling in a smooth 180° turn and a hand stroking what appeared to be a small animal. A cat, Nines soon realised.

It was Gavin, surrounded by a group of stray cats.

And he was...feeding them?

“What the fuck are you doing?” he demanded, stepping into the space where Gavin was crouched low to the ground. He did not, most definitely didn't, think of how he'd like to see them in a similar position but perhaps in a more comfortable environment.

Gavin's green eyes – frightfully alike the cats’ crowded around the android – glared up at him through unnecessarily long eyelashes. “The fuck does it look like I'm doing, meat-bag?”

Nines bristled at the insult, hands instinctively coming together behind his back. He regarded his partner with a raised eyebrow, a look that he'd perfected over the years – especially during the recent months of working with Gavin. “These cats could be full of fleas.”

Gavin clicked his tongue, the flicker of a smile playing on his lips when one of the cats clambered up his side and perched itself on his shoulder. The android stroked the cat's head, earning himself a purr of approval.

“They ain't got fleas. I checked, dipshit.” Gavin scoffed at him, “Anyway, what are you doing here? You fuckin' stalking me or some shit?”

Nines rolled his eyes, “You wish.”

Gavin shook his head with a humourless laugh, watching another one of the cats cautiously approach him. Nines tried not to smile as the android held a tentative hand out to entice the stray closer.

“You ran off before finishing the reports. Fowler decided that _I_ had the pleasure of finding you.”

“Oh, so you're just here for work? Typical.” Was that disappointment in Gavin's voice? Nines almost laughed at his hopeful thoughts, shaking his head.

The air between them seemed heavier all of a sudden, though perhaps Nines was simply imagining it. Regardless, he didn't like it. Lowering himself to Gavin's level, Nines hovered a hand over his partner's arm before letting it fall back to his side with a sigh.

“Gavin...” Bright, confused eyes shot up to analyse his face and Nines shifted under the intensity. It wasn't the first time he'd called the android by his actual name and not some slur, but it was definitely a rarity. “Why are you sat out here in the middle of the night?”

Nines didn't miss the brief look of shock cast over Gavin's face before he masked it with a stubborn scowl. “None of your fuckin' business, meat-bag.”

Sighing, Nines heaved one of the particularly social stray cats onto his lap – ignoring the pestering thought of getting dirt and cat hairs all over his clothes. He had a washer. It didn't need to be such a big deal.

Judging by the disbelieving look Gavin shoots his way, lower lip bitten blue, it is.

“Just go home, Nines.” Gavin sounds defeated. Defeated and tired. It physically pains Nines, somehow, his chest feeling like a knife has been twisted between his ribcage. Which is a feeling he's experienced first-hand, thanks to a low-life fucker that thought he could actually get one up on the detective.

Nudging Gavin's knee with his own, Nines watched his partner carefully. “I will when you go home.” He didn't know why he cared, well that's a lie because he knows perfectly well that he has _feelings_ for the android – if that's even what he'd call them. But that had never affected him before; he'd never outwardly shown interest in Gavin's wellbeing. What's changed?

He's not sure. But it's cold out and this isn't the best side of the city. The thought of anyone being out here alone was...unpleasant.

Gavin shifted away from his gaze uncomfortably, a characteristic trait that Nines had yet to witness from the confident whirlwind of a detective his partner usually was. He kept his gaze on the cat in front of him, although Nines noticed that he hadn't moved his leg away from his. So he wasn't completely closed off?

“You're not going home...are you?” Nines asked, voice barely above a gentle whisper. Gavin tensed. He didn't respond. “Gavin, where do you live?”

The android gave him a nonchalant shrug, face turned out of Nines’ view. “I usually sleep at the station.” he eventually said.

Ah, so that explained how the android always seemed to get there before Nines – who prided himself on almost always being fifteen minutes early to each shift. It also answered his unasked questions about why his partner always insisted to stay back and clear up.

What it didn't tell Nines, was why Gavin was currently sat in a grungy alleyway with three stray cats. He said as much to the android beside him, watching as he finally turned to face him once again. The usual cold guard that shielded familiar green eyes had slipped, a slither of emotion – sadness, perhaps – making it's way to the front for all to see. By all however, he meant himself.

“It gets lonely there. Like, fuckin’ boring. These guys- they like me. Let me feed ‘em. Keep me company. ‘specially when I'm not feeling so...so stable.” God, if Nines wasn't already a goner for his idiotic partner, he definitely was now; posture sagging at the weak, resentful tone in Gavin's voice. He sounded ashamed of getting lonely. As though he didn't believe that he deserved to feel sad.

Maybe he wasn't far off the truth.

More than just a few minutes must have past whilst Nines tried to organise his thoughts because, by the time he spoke again, Gavin was busy tickling the back of one of the cats' ears. Clearing his throat, Nines stood up again whilst gingerly balancing the cat that had sat on him in his arms. Surprisingly, the animal didn't attempt to escape his hold. “Come on. Get up.” he ordered his partner, who shot a curious look his way.

When he didn't explain further, Gavin huffed – a rather human-like action – and pushed himself up from the floor before grabbing the last cat. The one on his shoulder seemed to dig it's claws into his back but Gavin didn't flinch and so Nines said nothing about it.

“The fuck are we going?” Gavin questioned him, voice gruff, as Nines led them back out onto the open street.

Regarding his partner with a strict look, noticing now just how exhausted the android looked – unruly hair and slackened posture, eyes drained of their usual vibrancy – Nines said, “You're going to come back to mine. We're going to give these cats a bath, and then get them and you comfortable and warm.”

“No, Ni-"

“No buts.” Nines interrupted, raising two fingers to silence Gavin and smirking when the android let out an annoyed growl. He didn't argue further though, and followed closely behind Nines as he walked them back to his rather empty apartment.

Something told him that his peaceful days at home were over.

**Author's Note:**

> I...umm...may have fallen in love with this au? And...uhhh...could quite possibly, very much, want to expand it into like a 10K fic and develop their friendship/relationship? 
> 
> What do y'all think??
> 
> Love you guys x


End file.
